Increasing Clouds & Cold Today, Colder Temps Ahead

Clouds will be on the increase this afternoon as a weak area of low pressure approaches from the Great Lakes region. Temperatures will be much colder today than yesterday with highs only in the single numbers to mid-teens from north to south across the state. The weak area of low pressure is forecast to cross the state tonight giving us the chance for a few snow showers. If you are planning on heading out to any of the New Year’s Eve festivities, you may see a few snow showers and they may leave a coating of snow in spots so roads could be a little slippery. Bundle up tonight too as temperatures are expected to be near or a little below zero in most locales away from the coastline. Coastal areas will be a little warmer with temperatures in the mid-single numbers to around 10° for overnight lows.

High pressure will build in and bring us some sunshine for New Year’s Day. Despite the sunshine, temperatures will only be in the single numbers and teens for highs Wednesday afternoon. An even colder arctic airmass is scheduled to move in later Wednesday and Wednesday night setting us up with the coldest air we’ve seen this season for the end of the week. Temperatures in some northern locales could bottom out around -30° Wednesday night. Daytime highs on Thursday and Friday will only be in the single numbers either side of zero.

More snow is possible for the end of the week although the latest data is pushing the storm further south and keeping the brunt of the storm offshore. The northern edge of the storm will graze us with some snow showers Thursday into Friday especially for areas south of Greenville and Millinocket. At this point, it looks like we might miss this storm but we’re not out of the woods yet because a slight shift northward in the storm track would bring significant snow back into the state so stay tuned for forecast updates today and tomorrow. Low pressure is forecast to develop off the Mid-Atlantic coastline Thursday morning and pass just south of New England and south of Nova Scotia later Thursday into Friday. This track will have us on the northern edge of the storm with the storm’s heaviest precipitation staying offshore. That being said, we’ll still see the potential for significant snowfall here especially for areas south of Greenville and Millinocket. The storm is still several days away and like always the amount of snow will depend on the exact track of the storm so we’ll keep an eye on this and issue more details as we get closer.